Lousy boutiques with Chaos: and Other Peculiar Stories by Troxell, Jake NEUF

A viral case of amnesia, a ghost in a time machine, a satellite image of god-LOUSY WITH CHAOS is your maniacal tour guide through the magic and machinery of time, space, and love. Spread across nineteen peculiar stories, these dark adventures document what happens when fantastic dreams of bright futures go crashing headlong into the horror we call reality.

In Speak and Spells, a childrens toy is imbued with the power to alter reality, unbeknownst to those playing with it. In Juxtapose, a discounted concert ticket gets you into the show, but keeping the memory costs extra. In Lousy with Chaos, a utopias overnight collapse introduces imperfection into a perfectly curated world. In Come Again Another Day, a dark rain roves the sky, flinging everything it soaks into an unknown future.

Equal parts science-fiction and black comedy, these shorts seek out the heart hidden within hopeless situations.

ADVANCE PRAISE

"Whimsically unhinged with an undercurrent of tenderness." -Nik Korpon, author of Radicals

"As tender as it can be brutal, Lousy with Chaos gives us horror and heartbreak, mystery and murder, and sweethearts and scumbags. Troxell evokes a transgressive Rod Serling or Shirley Jackson. This is a collection of truly original, diverse, and engaging short stories from a writer sure of their craft." -Daniel DiFranco, author of Panic Years

"Enchantingly human sci-fi in the vein of Ray Bradbury and The Twilight Zone." -Reader Review

Content Warning: These stories contain references to assault, domestic violence, suicide, rape, and murder.